7 simple tips to make Mondays so much better

AH, MONDAYS. More like, "Ahhh Mondays!" We know the feeling all too well. That dread that looms over you on Sunday nights, knowing what you're in for the next morning. Having to set four alarms to actually get you out of bed, dragging your feet on the way into work. It's never fun. But why does Monday have to be this way? Here's a hint: It doesn't. We choose to make it miserable, so why not simply choose to make it bearable? Thanks to these 7 simple tips, the beginning of your week just got a whole lot better.

1. JAM OUT, THE SECOND YOUR ALARM GOES OFF
This, I promise you, is the best Monday trick I know. When I was 19 I spent a summer in LA with my best friend Alex interning for a PR firm. We were poor (sustaining only on granola bars and vodka sodas), and shared a king size bed for 3 straight months. Quickly growing accustomed to running up bar tabs until the wee hours in West Hollywood, you can imagine that Mondays quickly became likened to sticking our heads into a Magic Bullet on a weekly basis. The only thing that got me into my pencil skirt and out the door was the fact that we started a tradition of blaring Manifest Destiny the second the alarm went off. There was something about that song that instantly put a spring in our step and kicked the week off on the right note. If you don't share the same taste in music as my 19-year-old self, you might find success in my other amazing (yet, at times admittedly embarrassing) Monday morning rotation options: Sweat, Rich Girl, Drive, Centerfold, Shake, Departed, Naturally, Raspberry Beret, Say My Name and Wildcard.

2. TWO WORDS: CROCKPOT AND DINNER
Assemble what you need Sunday night (check out these recipes for starters), cram it all in that magical little contraption on Monday morning, and you'll be mentally salivating all day looking forward to that delicious dinner! Not to mention you'll have zero cooking to do when you get home. And less cooking = more time to have another glass of wine! Hello, best day ever?

3. PLAN A GIRLS DATE ON MONDAY NIGHT
Why do we never suggest Monday as an option when getting together with friends? We really should. Excitement to see someone you love makes the day go by so much faster! Not to mention, you need a reason to celebrate the fact that Monday is over! Bonus points if you invite your friends over for the dinner you assembled... in your crock pot!

4. GET OUT OF BED EARLIER
Waking up early has become a big one for me. This gives me some extra time to get out of bed and wrap up what I meant to finish on Sunday night (but chose to watch another episode of House Hunters International instead.) 60 extra minutes or so to linger in those comfy PJ's, slowly sip your coffee, and even read a magazine will make a huge difference in your mental clarity once it's time to get to work.

5. TRY SOMETHING NEW WITH YOUR HAIR
We've all heard "dress to impress" as a go-to piece of Monday advice. But what about your hair? Nobody ever talks about your hair. What an easy way to make a huge impact on your appearance! I'm not talking about spending an extra 30 minutes in the bathroom with a round brush. Try a new hairstyle -- be it a braid, twist, updo, whatever. Usually these are much easier than (gasp!) actually washing and blow drying your hair, so it's pretty much a double win. Check out my hair board on Pinterest for some inspiration. Think of this as another version of that old lipstick trick I talked about back in January. When you try something new, people will notice -- and they'll compliment you! When do you need nice ego boosters more than ever? Bingo. On Monday.

6. START A MONDAY MORNING BREAKFAST CLUB WITH YOUR COWORKERS
A lot of people do this on Fridays, but Fridays are already one of the best days of the week. Why not have breakfast to look forward to on theworst day of the week? Grab a group of coworkers and rotate bringing in bagels, donuts, coffee, whatever it takes to get everyone excited to come into work.

7. WAIT UNTIL MONDAY TO START A NEW BOOK, TV SHOW, OR READ A NEW MAGAZINE
Think of how excited you'll be to wake up on Monday knowing that today is the day you come home and finally start watching the new season of House Of Cards, download Divergent on your Kindle or read that new issue of Vanity Fair you've been patiently storing in your desk since last Wednesday.